The Importance of Wage Labor in Achieving Agricultural Market Development Objectives

This brief considers what is meant by wage labor and why it matters for achieving USAID’s objectives of poverty alleviation and increased food security. It synthesizes findings from an extensive evidence review completed in 2015 by the USAID-funded Leveraging Economic Opportunities (LEO) activity, which was conducted with the involvement of a senior technical advisory panel from the International Labour Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, Overseas Development Institute, Michigan State University, and USAID. The evidence review was further informed by a three-week-long technical discussion forum engaging over 220 practitioners, economists, and donor representatives from 37 countries. The objective of this brief is to provide preliminary recommendations for increasing the efficacy of agricultural development activities through greater attention to labor markets.